How to Organize a Nursery for Maximum Functionality

Preparing a lovely first home where you’ll be welcoming your little one can be a truly rewarding experience but still a bit overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. Naturally, you want the kind of lighting that creates an optimal sleeping environment; décor that reflects your style; furniture that’s up to the most current safety specifications; the pop of color for a fun and stimulating experience. Yet, according to all sleep-deprived, multi-tasking mommies and daddies, the greatest gift you can give yourself when creating your newborn’s nursery is – practicality. If you are puzzled over how to proceed with your nursery project, this guide is here to arm you with some tips on how to organize a nursery for maximum functionality.

It’s a win-win situation

Chubby cheeks, tiny button noses, shiny eyes, and adorable smiles: babies sure know how to pluck on our heartstrings without any effort whatsoever. Even the simplest actions, like those miniature fingers grasping yours, melt your adult heart to the point where you want to give your little bundle everything they could possibly need and beyond. 

And so, the best thing about creating a fully functional nursery is the fact that it helps the baby by helping you. Effective organization of your baby’s nursery will make your day-to-day life a lot easier and stress-free, as you’ll be able to move around more easily, find things even when half asleep, and without much thought. Thus, you’ll have more time and energy to focus on the baby. 

How to organize a nursery for maximum functionality

Avoid excess

The temptation you might feel to gear up on the coolest selection of toys and the latest gizmos that promise to jump-start your newborn’s development is entirely natural. However, a crowded nursery can not only feel overwhelming for the baby but for you as well. These items could limit your ability to move around freely and easily, block your way from grabbing what you need at that moment, and even increase the risk of bumping into something or tripping. Not to mention that it will be more difficult in terms of maintenance. 

In fact, even the bare necessities seem to overflow the room somehow. It’s crazy how much space the tiny humans need even without all of the unnecessary clutter. Therefore, the smartest thing is to opt for a minimalist approach: choosing only items and pieces of furniture that correspond to your baby’s basic needs, especially if you’re tight on space. 

Similarly, don’t feel obligated to keep everything you receive as a gift from relatives or at your baby shower. If there’s a gift or a product you don’t need or want, or if you find any duplicates and unnecessary items among them, be open-minded about donating or regifting all excess.

Systematic furniture arrangement

There are only four essential furniture pieces you need: a cot, a glider, a changing table, and a small wardrobe. Placing these pieces in practical spots creates a flow in the nursery that helps you achieve maximum functionality. Think about these furniture pieces in terms of activity and safety as you organize them around the room. 

Sleeping and feeding

After rocking and nursing the baby, you want their transition to the cot to be as smooth as possible. So, make sure to place your rocking chair not too far from the crib. Next, assign the largest free corner of the nursery for the glider so you can easily approach it for night feedings. Finally, if you prefer, you can place it near the window for a nice, relaxing view during the feedings.

Keep the cot away from windows so that the baby is not exposed to the draft or any easily-reachable cords hanging from the curtains. Also, position it away from the door so that you don’t wake the baby when you want to peek in and check them. Lastly, choose an internal wall to place the crib instead of an external one to keep them warm. 

Changing

The changing table should be located as close as possible to the dresser/wardrobe. This way, you can grab an outfit quickly and easily. Secondly, it’s also practical to place it near the doorway to have easy access for the middle-of-the-night changing, or when you are carrying them from another part of your house into the nursery. Lastly, it shouldn’t be close to the cot if you want to keep their little fingers from wandering off and reaching the products you keep on the table. 

Create different zones to organize a nursery for maximum functionality

Parents should also consider establishing clear zones for each activity and ensuring that everything they need is within arm’s reach while in that area. 

• Nursery sleeping area – place the baby’s fitted sheets, wearable blankets, sleeper onesies, and baby monitor near the baby’s cot.

• Reading, rocking, and feeding area – The most important thing is to, above all else, purchase a comfy chair or a glider because you’ll most likely spend hours in it. Then, place a side table or a small nightstand near your rocking chair and use it to conveniently store whatever you need for these specific purposes. For instance, this can be an ideal place for bedtime books, extra burping cloths, water, feeding bottles, and a dim lamp on the surface top.

• Changing station – All of the changing necessities such as diapers, creams, wipes, diaper genies, clean outfits should be near this area. This way, you will not have to walk away to grab something and leave the baby unattended. Secondly, place the diaper pail nearby to be able to discard the diaper easily, as well as the hamper for storing away the dirty clothes. 

As a bonus, keep whatever you need to the side of your dominant hand, so you could easily grab it while holding your newborn. Additionally, if you are yet to settle down in your new home after relocation, tell your movers where to place each piece of furniture. It will be much easier to set it up the way you want in the first place than to reorganize after the fact.

Use organizational hacks

Almost nobody can function when things are scattered all over the place. Therefore, another tip for designing a fully functional nursery is to use some organizational hacks. Here are some ideas:

• Color-coding or labeling is the easiest way to keep everything organized and separated. 

• Say yes to clear bins, fabric boxes, and baskets, as they are some of the best storage solutions out there.

• Use drawer dividers to break up onesies, socks, as well as tiny baby necessities you keep in your dresser that get lost easily. 

• Store seasonal clothes and special occasion outfits in the closet with the help of closet dividers.

• Consider a stand with wire fruit baskets as storage for smaller items or toys.

• Clear jars made for holding cotton balls are really effective at storing pacifiers and keeping them free of any dust and dirt.

• Make the most of the space under the baby’s bed by inserting a sheer acrylic box underneath.

• Bulky bookshelves take up a lot of space, so think about using picture ledges for displaying all of your baby’s favorite bedtime stories.

• Hang wire baskets on the closet door or a free wall for an added storage that holds whatever you need at arm’s reach.

Get a head start

As you can see, prioritizing functionality is the key to keeping your sanity intact and your baby as the main focus of your attention. But another thing you can do to prevent stress is to avoid waiting until the last minute, so start preparing as early as possible.

Finally, to organize a nursery for maximum functionality, you must know that it takes time, research, and effort, but it always pays off. Good luck to you and your growing family!

How To Know if Your Sewer Line Is Broken

We rarely consider how important our sewer lines are until there’s a problem. Sometimes those issues are subtle enough to ignore, but that can lead to much bigger obstacles later on. This article will teach you how to know if your sewer line is broken, so you can get on top of the problem quickly before it evolves into something worse.

Multiple Slow Drains

It’s normal every now and then for one drain to clog up. You don’t need to worry every time your shower gets a little too clogged with hair; however, you could have a serious issue on your hands if you start to notice that it’s more than one drain that empties slowly. This could mean you have a clog somewhere deeper in your sewer line that could lead to a leak or pipe burst. The best thing to do is to call a professional sewer line expert to take a look at the problem.

Foul Odors

Perhaps the most unpleasant way to find out if your sewer line is broken is to smell the problem. When there is a large blockage in your sewer line, the gas that becomes trapped gets forced back up through your pipes and into your house. Don’t wait for a single moment if you start to smell a sewer stench coming from your drains. The gas can be harmful to your health, and a professional can get your system back in working order.

Mold Growth

Mold anywhere in your house is never a good sign. If you start to notice patches of brown or black mold have begun to accumulate in your house, you need to get the problem taken care of as soon as possible. All mold needs to grow is a dark, slightly humid environment; the kind of environment a leaky sewer pipe can cause inside your walls.

Lush and Extra Green Lawn Patches

One of the strangest parts about sewage is how bad it is for humans, but how beneficial it can be for plant growth. You’ll want to keep an eye on your lawn whenever possible to see if it starts growing quicker in seemingly random spots. If you notice these patches, it could mean the sewer line beneath the ground has sprung a leak, draining itself into the soil.

Guest Post - How To Change Your Backyard Into An Entertaining Space

One of the best ways to make your backyard both entertaining and useful is equipping it with useful, attractive, and weather-resistant furniture and decorations. Sometimes changing your backyard into an entertaining space can get pricey. Therefore, you can do your best to choose projects that you can do on your own. By creating a fun space, you will not only improve the curb appeal, but it will provide you with space where you can have fun with your friends and family. 

Install a Built-in BBQ

Having a full backyard kitchen is a very amusing touch, but taking on that project can be very expensive and time-consuming. Something that you can do to get a similar effect is by installing a built-in BBQ. It will make your space more entertaining and enhance your backyard, and you can keep adding things to it until you have a full backyard kitchen. 

Build a Cute Pergola

Another very simple home project that will spice up your backyard is bundling a cute pergola where you can hang out even when it's raining. It is an attractive way to provide shade in your yard. Pergola is the most affordable yet cute option that you can install by yourself without having to get a contractor. 

Create a Proper Outdoor Living Room

One of the easiest entertaining spaces you can create in your backyard is creating an outdoor living room. Having an exterior room is a great way to use all of the square footage you have. All you need are some tables, outdoor rugs as well as some comfortable seating and you will have the perfect entertainment space. 

Clean Up Your Existing Landscape

But before you get into adding things to your existing space, you should first make sure that your outdoor area is nice and clean. That will allow you to have a clearer picture as well as access to every single part of the yard. Make sure that you trim all of your trees, bushes and grass.  Also, make sure that the landscaping around the pool is neat because that will make the biggest difference. By simply doing so, your whole yard will be more appealing, and you will be able to continue visualizing. 

Add a Fire Table

If you are looking for a beautiful addition, there is nothing that will make your backyard look amazing other than a fire table. There you will be able to gather around and hang out with your loved ones even during colder times while roasting some s’mores.

Create Different Hangout Zones

If you have a large family, or you like to host great gatherings, creating different hangout zones in your yard will provide variety for your guests. As we have already mentioned, things like an outdoor kitchen, fire pits are great, but you can also add hot tubs, swing sets or somewhere to watch a movie. 

Create Some Privacy

There is nothing more annoying than having someone eavesdrop on you and your friends. So when you are looking to create an entertaining spot in your backyard, think about growing some climbing plants or having a fence to give you some privacy. 

Spice Things Up With String Lights

One of the most popular ways of keeping your outside area well lit is to hang string lights. It gives personality to your entertaining space. There are so many different styles you can choose from as well as solar string lights if you want a more low-maintenance option. 

Create Multiple Seating Spaces

Having a large group over is a great way to connect, talk and have some fun. But what stops a lot of people from doing that is not having enough seating space for all of them. As we have mentioned before, when you are designing your entertaining area, you should choose a similar layout to your living room. Think about adding sectionals as well as seating options around the firepit or anywhere that might seem convenient to you. 

In the perfect scenario, your backyard should look like an extension of your inside space. By taking on some of these ideas, you will turn your plain backyard into a more entertaining space. 

Author bio:

Alison Pearson is an interior design student. She is a content creator, but her ultimate passion is design and creation. She is also a bibliophile and her favorite book is "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner. Follow her on Twitter.

Need a Change? How to Completely Revamp Your Primary Bedroom

A primary bedroom should be a place for rejuvenation and relaxation. Changing the layout of the room can give it a new look. More space is created for better aeration. Bedroom revamp can be cost-effective when you dedicate your time and energy. Below are some tips to help you completely update your primary bedroom.

Change Your Lighting

The lighting put in the bedroom determines the mood you set. When you want a rejuvenating and relaxing atmosphere, get attractive bedside lamps. Some other lighting systems to use include ceiling fans, mounting sconces on the walls, pendants, rope lighting, and standing lamps.

Paint the Room

Changing the wall colors of your bedroom makes it lively. Paint old furniture to make them look new. Some of the best wall colors include pale pallet, pale beige, light lilac, light grey, and cream. These colors give you control to decorate your walls the way you want. They do not reflect light allowing you to sleep easily at night without distractions.

Change the Floor Appearance

There are many ways to change the floor appearance, including lamination. Laminate flooring is cost-effective and requires less maintenance. Most of these materials mimic premium flooring materials such as stone and hardwood, making your floor look expensive. It is easy to install the laminate flooring as you only need click lock, saving you the money you would have paid a professional to do the job.

Get New Bedroom Furniture Sets

The kind of furniture you have in your bedroom impacts its atmosphere. Changing old bedroom furniture sets from time to time creates an inviting room. Shop for a new bed, beddings, couch, and chair. When shopping for these materials, make sure to leave space to move freely. There are many affordable furniture stores to get these items.

Change Furniture Position

Take time and see how you can reorganize your bedroom to have a new layout. Change the direction of your bed and other furniture. Some of these changes open up spaces for better aeration. If it is possible, look for closet organizers and storage baskets to put your things in order.

If revamping your bedroom sounds like her challenging task, get help from a professional to do the work for you. You only need to have an idea of how you want your bedroom to look like. Create a budget for how much you are willing to spend on revamping and let them do the job for you.